Oneshots and Other Things

Small Spaces ~ Part 4

Here we go again ;)

I think I'm going to leave this mini-series here. I'm fairly happy with the ending and I think I'm probably running out of claustrophobic situations to put Stephen in XD

I hope you enjoy - as always, a quick warning for claustrophobia and a panic attack in this chapter.

(*~*)

"It will be thirty seconds at the most," Stephen found himself saying for the fifth time that morning. He'd managed to convince everyone except Dec that filming a short disappearing act for social media wouldn't set his claustrophobia off but the older man was still frowning stubbornly in front of him. Stephen sighed, trying the same tactics he'd tried with Ant. "You two will be in there with me. You can literally keep an eye on me the entire time if you're that worried."

"I'm that worried because I know what you're like," Dec retorted. He'd been just a little frustrated since the auditions in January, at least to Stephen's ears, letting his shorter temper flare every so often as if he was trying a new method to get Stephen talking.

Truthfully, Stephen could feel a bubble of nerves settling in his stomach, knowing that it wouldn't exactly be a pleasant thirty seconds, locked in some sort of rotating cupboard, squeezed in around both Ant and Dec. But he trusted the magic act that was performing in the semi-final later that evening and it was a fun stunt to do to advertise the show.

"Just because you've seen the last couple of times I've got claustrophobic," Stephen started, disliking the impatience in his own voice. It was easier though, pushing and pushing until Dec snapped and stopped caring so outwardly.

"When you have a phobia, it's rule one that you try and avoid situations that trigger it," Dec replied, shaking his head unhappily. "I don't want any part of this if I have to watch you panic the second we're trapped in there."

"We won't be trapped in there!" Stephen argued back. "That's 90% of what I'm afraid of – getting stuck. And I know how the trick works so I know I won't really be trapped."

"And are you going to be able to think as straight as that when we're in there?" Dec asked persistently.

"Yes," Stephen said firmly, still annoyed that it was his own difficult behaviour delaying them from making a start. Filming days were busy during the semi-finals and they tended to only produce content for social media in the short times they had between script meetings and rehearsals.

Dec folded his arms, glowering at the stunt already set up on the stage. "Fine, whatever."

"Dec," Stephen pleaded a little more reasonably. He didn't want to be in a small space with a pissed off Dec, even less than he wanted to be in a small space in the first place.

Dec raised an eyebrow, daring him to say anything else. "If this goes wrong, I'm going to find it very hard to be sympathetic."

"Okay," Stephen said simply, choosing not to share that small part of him that wondered how both Ant and Dec had managed to muster sympathy for so long in the first place. He'd be annoyed at himself too if he caused a fuss. He could last thirty seconds under uncomfortable conditions. It wasn't a broken lift. It wasn't a terrible attempt at a practical joke.

Ant sidled up to him as they all gathered on the stage, casting a glance in the direction of Dec who was stubbornly standing separate from Stephen and quickly working out what was wrong. "Is he worrying?"

"He's got an unusual way of showing it if he is," Stephen replied, still not having to search far to muster some frustration towards Dec. He couldn't help himself but continue. "And apparently he will have zero sympathy if I end up having a panic attack, which is always nice to hear."